Study Says, Being Too Handsome is Bad for a Man’s Career

Good-looking men have it all, right? And, they are very lucky indeed? They get all the girls, and people just seem to treat good looking people better.

But, studies say handsome men are less likely to land their dream job. A study reported that attractive men are seen as a threat by their male bosses, therefore, are much less likely to be given roles that shows their personal individual talents as a result.

Study

Researchers at the University of Maryland in the US and the University College London’s School of Management carried out 4 experiments in offices.

Also, it was reported that when men were looking for other men to work with them, their decision was influenced by the attractiveness of the candidate and the type of job.

But, attractive women did not face the same problem because being pretty is not linked with competence among female stereotypes.

Assistant professor and lead researcher Sun Young Lee of Maryland University, said: ‘Managers make hiring decisions and are affected by stereotypes, to serve their own self-interests, therefore, organisations may not get the most competent candidates.

‘With more companies involving employees in the recruitment processes, this important point needs attention.

‘Awareness that hiring is can be affected by stereotyping tendencies and potential work relationships can help organisations improve their selection processes.’

To get the best workers, irrespective of looks, companies may find it is more beneficial to have a neutral, outside recruitment company doing the hiring, Sun Young Lee of Maryland University, suggested.

The findings will be published in the journal Organisational Behavior and Human Decision Processes.

Also, actor Rob Lowe complained about how he tough it was to further his career because of his good looks.

Rob Lowe told the New York Times in April 2014, “There’s this unbelievable prejudice and bias against quote-unquote good-looking people, that they cannot be in pain or they cannot have rough lives or be deep or interesting.”